CVE-2025-7981
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAshlar-Vellum Graphite VC6 File Parsing Uninitialized Variable Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Ashlar-Vellum Graphite. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file. The specific flaw exists within the parsing of VC6 files. The issue results from the lack of proper initialization of memory prior to accessing it. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current process. Was ZDI-CAN-25475.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe vulnerability is an uninitialized variable in Ashlar-Vellum Graphite's VC6 file parser. When parsing VC6 files, the application fails to properly initialize memory before accessing it, allowing an attacker to control the uninitialized memory and achieve arbitrary code execution in the context of the current process. Exploitation requires user interaction via opening a malicious VC6 file.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 13.0.48CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify if Ashlar Graphite is installedLook for Ashlar Graphite in your installed applications (Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features, or macOS Applications folder)Affected if Ashlar Graphite is present on the system
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Determine the installed version of Ashlar GraphiteRight-click the Graphite executable (typically named Graphite.exe or similar), select Properties, and view the Version tab. Alternatively, open Graphite and check Help > About for the version number.Affected if The displayed version is exactly 13.0.48
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Verify the VC6 file parser component existsCheck if the Graphite installation includes VC6 file import capabilities by examining available file format options or searching for VC6-related DLLs or modules within the program directoryAffected if VC6 file parsing functionality is present in the installation
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Confirm exposure to VC6 filesReview your workflow or environment for any recent or current use of .vc6 files, or check file associations registered with Graphite for VC6 file handlingAffected if VC6 files are opened or processed by Ashlar Graphite in your environment
You are affected if Ashlar Graphite version 13.0.48 is installed and you handle VC6 files with the application's parser.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply the vendor patch when available; until then, restrict handling of untrusted VC6 files and consider disabling file associations or implementing additional input validation at the enterprise perimeter.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-7981 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-7981 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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